A Couple Of TDK Cassette Collections

[Des-Lab]

I used to have a couple of TDK cassette collections. But in or around 1998 when I very nearly dumped *ALL* of my cassettes, I did offload the TDK tapes when I was an Ebay "newbie". Perhaps one of the dumbest things I ever did in my whole tape collecting history. At least I kept (and later built upon) my Maxell collection. Plus, I was never as much into TDK as much I was with Max.

At least I took pictures of each lineup prior to selling.

First one is the 1988 lineup. Second is the 1990 lineup.

Enjoy.

http://x-2000r.angelcities.com/images/TDK_Old.jpg
http://x-2000r.angelcities.com/images/TDK_New.jpg

[Mr. Lin]

Very cool. I personally am more of a TDK guy. I love the packaging on that old SA-X, top row of three, in the middle.

[Web Police]

Nice looking tapes.

[Scorpion8]

Sweet! Love the TDK look.

[Web Police]

I used to have tons of the right hand row from 1988. I sold em for cheap on ebay in the late 1990's *fit*

[Acoustic]

Those are some nice pics! Thanks for sharing.

[Scorpion8]

Ya gotta wonder if over-diversity killed some of the biz. Both pics have 5 variations of Type I tapes. It'd be nice if they still existed, but was there that much difference in them besides the D which was B-B-BOTL stuff and AR-X which was probably TOTL in Type I's in TDK lineage?

[Des-Lab]

Well in the case of the second picture, not all 5 Type I's existed at the same time. DS-X was introduced as an all-in-one replacement tape when AD, AR, and AR-X were discontinued. But because the packaging was pretty much the same style and the rest of the line unchanged, I included it in the lineup. I was also told by a TDK rep I spoke with that the DS-X was the "exact same tape" as the AR just with a new name and revised packaging.

And I was never all that impressed with AR-X. Even though it was TOTL for TDK, I would only rank it 'average' overall, perhaps somewhere between Maxell UDI and XLI.

[Scorpion8]

Matt, that last sentence in the 1st paragraph is confusing: "AR was the exact same tape as AR"....

[Des-Lab]

Oops.

Typo. Been fixed. Getting close to bedtime. The brain is shutting down for the night.

And yes. It would stand to reason that AR was...well...AR.

-except when it's not, right?

[Scorpion8]

Thanks. Makes sense now.

[MacGyver]

i got two 1989, and one 1990 SA-90 all sealed at a portland thrift. i opened one of the 1989's to use, and the other two stay sealed...



http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll310/shaorin-chan/DSCF0936.jpg

http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll310/shaorin-chan/DSCF0937.jpg

http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll310/shaorin-chan/DSCF0938.jpg

http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll310/shaorin-chan/DSCF0939.jpg

http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll310/shaorin-chan/DSCF0940.jpg

http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll310/shaorin-chan/DSCF0941.jpg

http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll310/shaorin-chan/DSCF0941-1.jpg

http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll310/shaorin-chan/DSCF0942.jpg

[MacGyver]

i also got one of those 1990 D-90s sealed from one of my mother's hubby's sisters. i will post pics of all of these as soon as i have time...


http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll310/shaorin-chan/DSCF0943.jpg

http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll310/shaorin-chan/DSCF0944.jpg

http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll310/shaorin-chan/DSCF0945.jpg

http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll310/shaorin-chan/DSCF0946.jpg

[SLA]

DS-X was never intended to replace AD and AR. DS-X was just intended for speed dubbing (many entry level cassettes had "dubbing at 2x" option). AD has lived well even after DS-X was dead. Most of the companies: DENON, TDK, SONY, MAXELL had 5 type I cassettes (especially in JAPAN) (and this is not counting CD-ing, Cdix, and other quirks).

[SLA]

Here is the proof that ds-x was different formulation from AR (taken from audio magazine from Russia).

DS-X was a very good tape though (especially when considering its price $1-1.5 at the time).

[Marc Hugo]

And I was never all that impressed with AR-X. Even though it was TOTL for TDK, I would only rank it 'average' overall, perhaps somewhere between Maxell UDI and XLI.

Matt, your impressions certainly seem to coincide with the tape reviewers on the other side of the pond. They like AR more in fact. Mind you, I quite like UDI (UDII seems to have the stuffing knocked out of it).

All the best - Marc